Chapter 21! Here it goes!

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Hazel was all dolled up and sitting in a booth across from her father and Julia. They had just ordered their food and Hazel was practically giddy with excitement for her fettuccine alfredo. Tarantella's was a small basement restaurant owned by a pair of Italian sisters and was Hazel and Daniel's favorite place to go for a fancy night out.

Daniel sighed and shot a pointed look at Hazel, flicking his eyes over to Julia, who was looking around at the exposed brick walls.

Hazel took the hint and cleared her throat. "So Julia, this dinner is meant to be a bon voyage party of sorts, right?"

Julia's gaze fixed on Hazel and she smiled congenially, "Of course. You start your sixth year at Bradley's Academy tomorrow! With nine o-levels no less! We couldn't be more proud of you!"

Hazel saw her father smile at the "we" before she continued with, `"Actually, there is no Bradley's Academy. It doesn't exist."

Julia's brow furrowed and she tilted her head to the side like a confused puppy. "W-what? Then where are you going tomorrow?"

Hazel sighed, took a sip of her Coke, and sighed again. "I attend Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am a witch."

Julia's face was blank, but she busted out laughing. "Come on, Hazel, I know you can be a little temperamental sometimes but..." She grabbed her wine glass and took a rather large gulp.

"It's no joke, Julia. Hazel's mother was a witch, her grandmother is a witch and her grandfather is a – " Daniel started to explain and Julia searched his face.

"A warlock?" Julia said dryly. Hazel could see the fear creeping into her eyes and desperately hoped she wouldn't cause a scene. She slipped a hand into her clutch and made sure the note from the Minister was still there, just in case. She also wrapped her fingers around her wand delicately.

"Wizard, actually." She corrected and Julia's eyes snapped back to her.

"So…what does that mean? Do you cast spells on your enemies and curse people and stuff?"

"It's a bit more complicated than that, but spells and charms and potions are all part of it." Hazel nodded. "Another part is that you must never tell anyone. Only Muggle parents of witches and wizards are allowed to know. The whole wizarding community is very secretive and – "

"Wait, did you say parents?" Julia asked.

Shit, Hazel thought as she gave her father a panicked look. He looked back at her and nodded and reached for Julia's hands.

"Right well…I was hoping to do this later, give you some time to digest this new information but such as it is…" Daniel turned toward Julia and took her hands in his, looking her straight in the eye.

"Julia, when Laurel died I thought I would never find another woman who made me feel like I was young and invincible and in love. And when Steve set us up last year, I felt something inside me that I hadn't felt in years. The way you made me feel like Superman when you looked at me and laughed at my horrific jokes. The way you light my soul aflame with your smile. How, when I'm with you time stands perfectly still and at the same time seems to fly by because I am just a man…ridiculously in love with a beautiful woman. I guess, what I am trying to say is…" Daniel moved to the floor beside the table and lowered himself onto one knee, holding the ring box out in front of him.

"Julia Caroline Jackson, will you marry me?"

The restaurant grew silent around them as Daniel's words hung in the air. The women at the table both looked at him, completely breathless. Julia's hands went to her mouth and tears sprung into her eyes as she, mercifully and miraculously, nodded.

"Yes," she croaked out, "Yes, Daniel, I will marry you!" she scooted out of the booth and hugged Daniel tightly as he rose to his feet. Hazel jumped up as well and hugged them both. They all had tears streaming down their faces, and Julia was blubbering as Daniel slipped the ring on her finger (a beautiful circle-cut amethyst surrounded by a halo of diamonds, as Hazel distinctly remembered Julia mentioning she didn't like diamonds all that much and her favorite color was purple) and the restaurant clapped politely. Hazel was blissfully happy, but she knew that only paled in comparison to what her father and Julia were feeling.

Their food arrived shortly after, along with a complimentary bottle of champagne courtesy of the Tarantella sisters. Hazel ate quickly while she and Julia started gabbing about dates and dresses and other things that pop into women's minds when weddings get involved.

"You'll be a bridesmaid, of course." Julia said to Hazel, who smiled broadly.

"I'd be honored."

"And it'll have to be on one of your school breaks…when are those, exactly?"

"Same as normal school. Christmas, Easter, Summer break. Although I don't think four months is enough time to plan a wedding." She said, finishing the last bite of fettuccine and leaning back in her chair.

"I've always fancied a summer wedding. What do you think, Daniel?" Julia turned her head to her new fiancé and smiled. He couldn't help but smile back.

"I like summer." He contributed unhelpfully.

"Well…I've got to catch the train rather early tomorrow, so I will leave you two lovebirds alone." Hazel said, sliding out of the booth. Despite their protestations, she insisted. It was getting late and she had to catch the train to London at seven-thirty the next morning. She would've taken the Floo Network there, but the fireplace had been sealed that morning.

On her walk home the sky opened up and rain came pouring down on her. Instead of running to the nearest shop awning to keep dry, she relished the feeling of the cool rain on her skin. Her father was engaged, she was going back to Hogwarts tomorrow, and she and Fred were finally smoothed out. He had visited yesterday for an all-too-brief amount of time in which they had decided they were officially together, but the would keep it between the two of them for now. Well, except for George.

Everything felt so right as Hazel tilted her head back and held her arms out to embrace the cascading droplets.

"Hazel! What're you doing you daft girl!?" her grandfather' voice echoed through the empty side street and Hazel jumped. He was using the Umbrella charm she had taught him and had strode over to her until she was underneath it.

"Just enjoying the rain. Might I ask what you're doing here?"

"There's another guest at the Manor that your gran and I thought you'd like to see before you head back to school."

"Now? Gramp, I've got an early train to catch tomorrow!" she whined, her eyes looking in the direction of her flat longingly.

"It won't take but a minute, you'll be sorry if you miss him!" He teased, grabbing her hand and apparating them back to the barn at Nithercott Manor. Outside the city, the wind howled and Hazel could hear the rain assaulting the ancient barn that was no doubt only still standing by the grace of magic.

"Do you know where we are?" Angus asked his granddaughter excitedly.

"Of course. We're in the distillery." She answered, knocking on one of the large copper stills to her left. She heard a knocking come from within the pot and yelped, jumping back from it as if it had suddenly lit on fire. Angus laughed and, with a graceful wave of his wand, opened the side door of the still. Instead of the flood of grain spirit that she expected to come out of it, a human figure emerged wearing the same brown battered coat he had been the last time Hazel had seen him.

"Sirius!" she shouted, throwing her arms around his neck once he'd reached his full height. He smelled like he'd had a bath within the last week or so and his prisoner's uniform was gone, replaced by some of her Uncle Leonard's clothing. His hair was less matted, but still long and wild. Hazel thought she'd faint as immense relief flooded her body.

"I'm so sorry Sirius!" she said, burying her head in his nearly sunken chest, which rumbled as he chuckled.

"For what, dear girl?" he stroked her honey-colored hair and looked down into her big blue eyes when she looked up at him, tears brimming her eyes. Except for the eyes, Sirius could've sworn he was holding Laurel after her break-up with Remus again.

"I should've brought you Pettigrew when you first asked me to. Then your name would be clear and you wouldn't have to live life on the run and – " she said, her words coming out as one long declaration. Sirius interrupted her with a chuckle and pulled her head back to his chest again, holding her tightly.

"Hush now, that's all in the past. Besides, I've got old Uncle Angus to look after me for a bit."

Angus cleared his throat warningly, not wanting his nephew to say too much.

"Right, well, the less you know the better. I just wanted to see you before you went back to school. To let you know I was alright." He gently disentangled himself from Hazel, who was wiping a few tears away.

"Thank you. I really needed that, seeing as how you didn't bother to write all summer." She added with a purposeful bitterness in her voice.

"I know and I'm sorry, I've tried to keep outside contact limited. I'm still a wanted man after all."

"Will you promise to write me at school this year? If not I'll spend the whole time worried sick." She nearly begged.

"Of course I will. Not all the time, mind, but I will write." He promised as Angus pulled his pocket watch out of his coat pocket and cleared his throat again.

"Hazel dear, you've got a train to catch in the morning." He said with an edge to his voice. If Sirius hadn't begged Renatta for the meeting, Angus never would've relented. He didn't want his granddaughter put in the same danger they had been in since Sirius had arrived nearly a month prior. However, his wife had finally convinced him of it after receiving a letter from Dumbledore detailing how Hazel had taken care of Sirius the previous school year.

"Right. You should be going." Sirius relented sadly. He was going to miss her, as he had since their last fight in the Shrieking Shack.

Hazel dove into his arms again, squeezing his emaciated frame before reluctantly letting him go and, with one more promise from him to write, disapparating with Angus. With a long sigh, Sirius climbed back into the still and closed the hatch, wishing more than anything that she could've stayed longer.

Hazel, much like her mother, had a certain lightness about her that had always been able to lift Sirius's spirits. It was why he and Laurel had been as close as siblings during their time at Hogwarts, perhaps even closer. And, much in the same way Harry reminded him of James, Hazel gave him the feeling of being close to Laurel, his sister, again.

He would most definitely write to Hazel. He couldn't let his niece down.

Hazel arrived at King's Cross an hour early for the Hogwarts Express, so she decided to get a more substantial breakfast than the piece of buttered toast she'd managed to scarf down at home that morning. She crossed the barrier onto Platform 9 ¾ and saw that the scarlet red steam engine was already there and waiting. While finding a compartment she briefly wondered if the train stayed in London all summer, or if it was transported elsewhere. After letting Leia out of her travel basket and making sure the door was firmly closed, she dashed off of the platform and to a pasty stand, where she ordered a bap and coffee. She sat at a table and calmed herself after a few hectic hours of travel.

Making her way back toward the train with her fresh cup of coffee she noticed a group of redheads, along with one brunette and a black-haired boy, all rushing toward the platform. Smiling to herself she crept up behind the two lankiest members of the group and poked each one on the hip. They jumped and looked first to each other, but out of the corners of their eyes noticed Hazel. Fred's eyes lit up considerably, and George's face broke into a smile.

"You tricky minx." George poked her back.

"Might've known you were here early." Fred said, a slight accusatory tone in his voice.

"I missed you tossers as well." She joked, pulling them both into a group hug.

"Fred, George! Hurry up! Oh, Hazel dear, I didn't see you there." Molly Weasley said, giving Hazel her patented flustered-but-kind smile.

"Hello Mrs. Weasley. Good summer?" she asked, Molly just burst out laughing.

"It was one of the more stressful ones, I'm afraid," the older woman admitted, glaring at her two sons. "No thanks to these two."

"C'mon, Mum…" George started

"We could've been much worse." Fred continued, an evil grin on his face. Molly looked as if she wanted to throw a cutting remark their way, but stopped herself and smiled politely instead.

"I'm sure. Now, through the barrier!" she said through her teeth before walking briskly over to Ginny to make sure she had everything.

"What was that all about?" Hazel asked the twins.

Fred threw an arm around her shoulders casually, pushing his cart with one hand as he led her through the barrier. "Oh, Mum's been going a bit easy on us since the World Cup. She got all worked up about the last thing she said to us and if anything had happened to us that would've been terrible."

"What did she say to you?" Hazel was curious as she congregated with the Weasley children and Harry and Hermione to await Mrs. Weasley's goodbyes.

"She was on our case about only getting six O.W.L.s." George explained simply.

"You each only got six O.W.L.s?"

Fred scoffed, "No, of course not."

"We each only got three."

Hazel balked at the idea, but she was sure they'd gotten enough grief from their family. After all, Bill and Percy had both gotten all twelve O.W.L.s, and Charlie had gotten in the double digits (according to Bill). At that moment, Mrs. Weasley bustled over with Ginny and said her goodbyes to all of the children under her care and Hazel before they got onto the train.

Instead of reproaching them for their scores, Hazel took this opportunity to boast a bit as she led them to the compartment her things were in.

"It seems I got triple each of your O.W.L.s. I got nine." She said, sitting down and having Leia immediately curl up in her lap.

"Well that's bloody fantastic for you, but think of all the free time we're going to have!" George said excitedly.

"All the time in the world for mischief and mayhem!" Fred elaborated, sitting next to her and replacing his arm around her shoulders. She tried to swallow the blush she felt creeping up her neck and the desire to wrap her arms around him and pull him ever closer.

"I don't think McGonagall is going to allow that. Which O. did you get?"

"We both got Defense Against the Dark Arts and Charms. Georgie here got Herbology." Fred explained.

"And Freddie got Transfiguration." George finished. The train's whistle blew and the station lurched into motion outside the window.

"Neither of you got Potions?"

"Nope."

"Even after hours of helping me revise for it?" she asked incredulously.

"Which ones did you get, Hazel?" George abruptly switched the direction of the conversation.

"Well, I took ten of them and the only one I failed was History of Magic." She really didn't want to repeat the list of the one she'd passed for the hundredth time.

"Are you going to take all nine?"

"God no. I'm dropping Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures, and Muggle Studies. That'll leave me with six classes. Or, two more than you lazy sods put together." She smirked, petting her cat that purred contentedly on her lap.

"Hey, any idea why we need dress robes for this year?" Fred changed the subject entirely, as he was sick of discussing academics.

"Not a clue. All I know is that my gran gave me a box from Madame Malkins that won't open until December. Probably a ball or something." Hazel dismissed. Fred was about to ask something else when the door slid open and Veronica heaved her trunk dramatically onto the rack above their heads.

"You will not believe what I've heard about this year!" she said, dropping down next to George. They exchanged a glance and she scooted away from him a bit, but remained where she was.

"What have you heard?" Fred asked nervously, taking his arm back from Hazel's shoulders.

Veronica leaned forward excitedly, "There's going to be some sort of inter-school tournament. I don't know al the details, but rumor has it that there's money and eternal glory involved. And obviously there's going to be a ball."

With the last sentence she leaned back, nonchalantly inspecting her manicure from behind her glasses.

"You're sure?" George queried.

"Why else would boys need dress robes and girl need gowns?" Veronica reasoned with a shrug.

"Do you know which other schools will be there?" Hazel asked, her thoughts going to Felix.

"No, but I've got my hunches." Veronica shot Hazel a salacious look before continuing, "By the way, Hazel, you never finished telling me about what happened with you and the Frenchman before the World Cup."

Hazel flushed at the memory and quickly glanced over at Fred, who had tensed slightly at the mention of Felix.

"Oh, you know. Nothing much." She said noncommittally, feeling Veronica's brown eyes bore into her.

"No way. You are not getting out of it that easily! I need details!"

"What's got your knickers in a twist, Ronnie?" George asked. Veronica glared daggers at him for using the nickname that she hated most of all.

"It's been a long, dry summer," she said, anger evident in her tone, "And if you expect to keep those kidney beans you call testicles, never call me Ronnie again." Her face softened as she turned back to Hazel and smiled. "So, spill. How far did you and the Frenchman get?"

Hazel's mouth hung open as she tried to find a lie to spare Fred's feelings. He was noticeably tense at her side now, his hands twitching and his eyes glaring at the floor.

"Erm…We got…handsy?" she admitted, but Veronica could tell it wasn't the whole truth.

"You went all the way with him!" she exclaimed, seeing the guilt in Hazel's eyes.

"No! Not all the way!"

Veronica's face cracked into a wide smile as she realized what Hazel meant. Their eyes connected and Veronica could see the guilt and shame in her best friend's eyes.

"You didn't!"

Hazel only nodded grudgingly, turning bright pink.

"Didn't what?" Angelina asked as she entered the compartment and sat next to Fred.

"Hazel gave the handsome French bloke a blowjob!" Veronica burst out way too excitedly. Hazel sunk down in her seat, deeply embarrassed as she looked out the window.

"Hazel! How could you?!" Angelina shouted, clearly very scandalized.

"Well if it helps, it was…reciprocated!" Hazel blurted before clamping her hand over her mouth, her entire face red as a tomato and her eyes wide as saucers. George had a devious grin on his face as he leaned back.

"Atta girl, Herrod." He said smugly. Fred, who was now almost visibly shaking with anger, excused himself as casually as possible.

"Where're you going?" Veronica interrogated, stopping Fred by standing in front of the door. He reached up into his trunk and extracted his uniform.

"I'm changing." He muttered, pushing the gossip aside and striding down to the changing car. Hazel watched him go sadly and thought to herself, Shit. Now I've gone ruined everything again.

"Hazel! Earth to Hazel!" Angelina said, snapping her fingers in front of her face. Hazel blinked and brought her beautiful friend's face back into focus.

"What?"

"We asked you how it was!" Veronica gushed, her eyes fixed intently on Hazel.

"Oh…erm…it was good. Weird. Have to watch the gag reflex and so on…you know what, I'm going to change too." She said quickly, removing her uniform from her trunk and going after Fred.

He wasn't in the changing car any more, so she continued searching for him in the other cars. Eventually she found him in a compartment with Lee, Alicia, and fellow sixth years Benjamin Russell, and his girlfriend, Elfrida Twonk, both members of Ravenclaw house.

She entered the compartment and, after greeting her classmates, asked Fred to come into the hall with her. He obliged unhappily, not really wanting to hear her explanations.

"So?" he asked as they came to a stop down the hall, crossing his arms in front of his well-formed chest, his bundle of street clothes dangling from one of his hands.

"Look, it was either spare your feelings and lie, which Veronica would've known immediately and pestered me until I blew our secret, or tell the truth and sacrifice your feelings." She explained quickly, having thought of the argument while searching for him.

He was silent, glaring angrily at the carpet for a minute before moving his maple eyes to hers. "When?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean when did you orally satisfy the Frenchman?"

She sighed, "After the storm-out. Before I met Bill. Before the World Cup and before I wrote you. I meant what I said in that letter, Fred, I want you. Not him, you." She prodded him in the chest.

He looked down at the sincerity on her face and smiled. "When?"

"I just told you, you idiot! Before the World-" she said, but he interrupted her.

"Not that." He interrupted. He dropped his arms and stepped closer to her with an arrogant smirk on his face, "When do you want me?"

She paused and smiled stupidly, playfully shoving his shoulder away. "Oh, shut up."

He grabbed her hand and led her to the changing carriage, looking over each shoulder to make sure no one was watching before shoving her into a stall and closing and locking the door. They tossed their bundles of street clothes to the floor and wrapped their arms around each other in the warm embrace they had both been craving since he had caught sight of her earlier that day.

"Hi." He muttered into her hair. She must've gotten a new shampoo because oranges, along with the vanilla and honey, replaced the strawberry smell.

"Hi." She replied, her voice muffled by his freshly laundered robe that did next to nothing to hide his natural musky, sandalwood scent.

He broke the hug and cupped her chin, bringing his lips to hers in a gentle kiss that slowly lit her on fire. She gripped his jumper and pulled him closer. He used the momentum to press her against the wall, one hand in her hair and one on her elbow. His lips started their devilish descent and, although her body was screaming for him to continue, she stopped him.

"Fred, wait!" she whispered urgently. He came back up, placing light kisses all over her face and neck.

"What?" he asked, his warm, soft lips tracking around hers and making it very difficult for her to focus, but she had to make her feelings known.

"I don't want this to go too fast. After last year and this summer…I just want to wait for the full-on shag for a while." She said quickly, as if ripping off a plaster. Fred's eyes met hers and he placed a hand on either side of her face, looking her straight in the eye.

"I think that's fine. We can wait as long as you like, Hazel," he kissed her forehead gently and towed her into his chest again. God, how she loved being there, wrapped in his strong arms and hearing his heart thudding rhythmically in his chest. It made everything so much more real. She had someone who cared about her, who thought about her when she wasn't around, and this made her feel incredibly…loved. To feel loved by someone who wasn't family made her feel lighter than air and incredibly grounded at the same time. She knew what her father had been talking about when he'd proposed to Julia.

She pulled away from him, and smiled up at him. "You are too good for me, Fred Weasley." He kissed her suddenly and pulled back a bit, resting his forehead on hers and staring into her eyes with a strange sort of intensity that only served to assure her of the conviction of his next statement.

"If you ever say that again, Hazel Herrod, I will hex you from here to eternity."

How much longer until one of them screws this up? Find out next time!